mushroom, bacon, and spinach risotto

Goey, cheesy risotto with bacon---yum!

Ingredients

4 cups chicken stock
6 bacon slices, chopped
1 cup chopped shallots
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
4 ounces oyster mushrooms, sliced
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1/3 cup Madeira wine or dry sherry
4 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Asiago cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients

1. Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil); keep warm over low heat.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon to pan; cook 8 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon. Add shallots, oil, thyme, and garlic to drippings in pan; cook 6 minutes or until shallots are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in mushrooms; cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add rice, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in Madeira; cook 1 minute or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup stock; cook 4 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of stock is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Stir in spinach; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in cheese, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with bacon.

* from Cooking Light

breakfast sandwiches

Ingredients

4 small onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. light brown sugar

salt

pepper

4 slices of thick-cut bacon

2 cup baby spinach

4 fried eggs

4 English muffins, sliced in half

extra sharp cheddar cheese

cooking spray

Instructions

1. Caramelize the onions: Melt the butter and oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat. Stir in the onions, brown sugar and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are deeply browned, about 40 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the water and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from pan when done.

2. Add the spinach to the oily skillet. Add 1/2 tbsp. of water to the pan and cover and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove spinach.

3. Add the bacon slices to the skillet. Cook until lightly browned. Remove from pan and drain on paper-towel-lined plate. Empty grease from pan.

4. Spray the pan with cooking spray. Fry your eggs.

5. Toast or grill your English muffins.

6. Assemble your sandwiches: cheese first, then egg, then bacon, then onions, then spinach. Grill in panini maker until cheese has melted.

brussels sprouts with bacon

Brussels sprouts can taste delicious- all you need is some bacon!

Ingredients

2-4 strips of bacon

2 shallots, sliced thin

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, stem ends trimmed, discolored leaves removed and halved through the stem

1/2 cup water

salt

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

pepper

Instructions

1. Cook bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Once the bacon is cool, remove excess fat and chop to small bite-sized bits.

2. Add the shallots in the bacon fat and saute until softened.

3. Add the Brussels sprouts, water, and 1/2 tsp. salt to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Cover and simmer until the sprouts are bright green, about 9 minutes. Uncover the pan and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the sprouts are tender, about 5 minutes longer.

4. Off the heat, stir in the bacon and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*adapted from America's Test Kitchen

apple and cheddar burgers

Ingredients

1 lb. grass-fed beef
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
4 slices of Boar's Head sharp cheddar cheese
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and shredded
4 slices applewood smoked bacon

Instructions

1. Cook bacon. Set aside and let rest on a paper towel-lined plate.
2. Combine beef, onion, mustard, salt, pepper, and apple in a large bowl. Do not overwork mixture. Form gently into 4 patties.
3. Grill burgers until medium rare. In the last minute of cooking, top with cheese to melt.
4. Top with bacon, arugula, and a smear hamburger roll with more Dijon mustard.

avocado BLT

Ingredients

1 small avocado, sliced

4 strips of thick-cut bacon

1-2 tomatoes

lettuce

mayonnaise

2 Portuguese rolls, sliced in half

Instructions

1. Grill or fry bacon.

2. Grill or broil rolls.

3. Spread very thin layer of mayo. on each side of bread.

4. Layer your sandwich: lettuce, 3 slices of tomato, 4 slices of avocado and 2 slices of bacon.

pasta e fagioli

Ingredients

4 oz. bacon (4 slices), chopped medium
1 onion
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed
3.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2.5 cups water
salt
8 oz. small-shaped pasta (I like orzo, but you could also use ditalini)
pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
olive oil

Instructions

1. Cook bacon in large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Stir in onion, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, beans, broth, water, and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Stir in pasta and cook until just slightly underdone. Off the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle individual bowls with grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

*from America's Test Kitchen